memeorandum: Justice Kavanaugh — Initial thoughts on the nomination … (Jonathan H. Adler/Reason)

1:00 PM ET, July 10, 2018

Top Items:

Akhil Reed Amar / New York Times:

A Liberal's Case for Brett Kavanaugh — The nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to be the next Supreme Court justice is President Trump's finest hour, his classiest move. Last week the president promised to select “someone with impeccable credentials, great intellect, unbiased judgment …

David Brooks / New York Times:

It Took a Village to Raise Kavanaugh — In the weeks ahead, we're going to spend a lot of time going over Brett Kavanaugh's biography — where he's from and what he's written. But that's not the most important way to understand the guy. — Kavanaugh is the product of a community.

Discussion: Hot Air and Althouse

Louis Nelson / Politico:

Schumer lays out path to block Kavanaugh — Senate Democrats can successfully orchestrate the rejection of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Tuesday morning, if they can convince the American people that his confirmation will lead to the undoing …

Discussion: Axios, The Daily Beast and Breitbart

Politico:

How a private meeting with Kennedy helped Trump get to ‘yes’ on Kavanaugh — While he was eager to keep the suspense alive, the president was always leaning toward Kennedy's former clerk. — After Justice Anthony Kennedy told President Donald Trump he would relinquish his seat on the Supreme Court …

Discussion: Townhall, New Republic, ThinkProgress, Talking Points Memo, Bloomberg, BostonGlobe.com, Associated Press, Mediaite, Washington Post, Hot Air, Hill Reporter, The Root, Towleroad, Joe.My.God. and Splinter

Ross Douthat / New York Times:

After Kavanaugh, the Deluge — In the second year of his presidency, Donald Trump has become more and more willing to act Trumpishly rather than deferring to the official wisdom of his party. But with his second Supreme Court nomination, notwithstanding all the head-fakes …

Discussion: National Review, Axios, Weekly Standard, The American Conservative and Bloomberg

Fox News:
Kamala Harris' office allegedly rejected SCOTUS courtesy call: ‘We want nothing to do with you’

Discussion: Breitbart, twitchy.com and PinkNews

Jonathan H. Adler / Reason:
Justice Kavanaugh — Initial thoughts on the nomination …

Discussion: Hit & Run

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
A Way Forward on the Eager Brett Kavanaugh

Discussion: Politico, The Mahablog, Pacific Standard, Outside the Beltway, Washington Free Beacon and CANNONFIRE

William McGurn / Wall Street Journal: Dick Durbin's Supreme Sacrifice

Tony Mauro / National Law Journal:
Seven Brett Kavanaugh Opinions That Will Find Renewed Attention

Discussion: Economist, SCOTUSblog, CNN and LAW.com

Senate Democratic Leadership:
Schumer Statement On Nomination Of Judge Brett Kavanaugh To The Supreme Court

Discussion: USA Today, National Review, CNN, Townhall, Breitbart, Politico, The Hill, twitchy.com, NPR, CBS Los Angeles, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, GoLocalProv.com, Bustle and The Daily Caller

New York Times:
There's So Much You Don't Know About Brett Kavanaugh

Discussion: Shareblue Media, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Politico, Washington Free Beacon, New Republic, Law & Crime, AOL and Bustle

Monique O. Madan / miamiherald:
New Supreme Court nominee Kavanaugh has ties to big Florida moments

Discussion: Washington Post, Associated Press and CBS Miami

Mariam Khan / ABC News:
Kavanaugh faces a contentious confirmation fight in the Senate

Discussion: New York Times, The Daily Beast and Breitbart

Jay Michaelson / The Daily Beast:
Brett Kavanaugh, Trump's Supreme Court Pick, Is Probably the End of Abortion Rights and Same-Sex Marriage

Discussion: CNBC, New York Times, Above the Law and Bustle

Cass R. Sunstein / Bloomberg: The Test for Judge Kavanaugh

Ann E. Marimow / Washington Post:
Brett Kavanaugh, Trump's Supreme Court pick, has sided with broad views of presidential powers

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Mother Jones, CNN, zerohedge.com, Axios, CBS News, New York Times, The Daily Caller, Breitbart, HuffPost, NPR, Motherboard, Balloon Juice, Politico, Media Matters for America, ABC News, The Daily Beast and SCOTUSblog

Alvin Chang / Vox:
Brett Kavanaugh and the Supreme Court's drastic shift to the right, cartoonsplained

Discussion: Newsweek, CNBC, twitchy.com and ABC News

Leigh Ann Caldwell / NBC News:
Key senators already facing a campaign-like blitz on Kavanaugh confirmation fight

Discussion: POLITICUSUSA, MSNBC and NewsWars

Timothy Cama / The Hill:

Trump pardons Oregon ranchers at center of 40-day standoff — on Tuesday pardoned a pair of Oregon ranchers whose arson conviction became a focus for opponents of federal government land ownership. — Dwight Hammond, 76, and his son Steven Hammond, 49, were convicted in 2012 and sent to prison on arson charges.

Discussion: Washington Post, Axios and Associated Press

Vivian Salama / Wall Street Journal:

President Trump Grants Pardons for Oregon Ranchers Dwight and Steven Hammond — Hammonds were convicted of arson after setting fires that spread to federal lands — WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump on Tuesday pardoned a pair of ranchers convicted of arson on federal lands …

Discussion: Mother Jones

The White House:
Statement from the Press Secretary Regarding Executive Clemency for Dwight and Steven Hammond

Discussion: Politico, thenewcivilrightsmovement.com and The Guardian

Maxine Bernstein / Oregonian:
President Trump pardons Oregon ranchers whose plight led to refuge occupation

Discussion: National Review, Washington Free Beacon, TheBlaze, MSNBC and Joe.My.God.

Mina Al-Oraibi / The National:

Mike Pompeo: Qassem Soleimani is causing trouble in Iraq and Syria ... we need to raise the cost for him — US Secretary of State speaks exclusively to The National about America's commitment to Gulf security — United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is on a mission to garner …

Adam Entous / New Yorker:
Israeli, Saudi, and Emirati Officials Privately Pushed for Trump to Strike a “Grand Bargain” with Putin

Discussion: emptywheel

David J. Kramer / Washington Post:
Putin is about to con Trump in Helsinki. Here's how.

Discussion: Hullabaloo

Alexi McCammond / Axios:

Brutal poll: Democrats' Senate dream slips away — To win the Senate, Democrats need to keep all 10 seats they're defending in states that President Trump won in 2016 — plus pick up two more seats. — Why it matters: That's not happening. A new Axios/SurveyMonkey poll of key states shows Dems …

Discussion: RedState

Washington Post:

Giuliani works for foreign clients while serving as Trump's attorney — Rudolph W. Giuliani continues to work on behalf of foreign clients both personally and through his namesake security firm while serving as President Trump's personal attorney — an arrangement experts say raises conflict …

Discussion: Axios, CNN, New Republic, Talking Points Memo and Raw Story

Lorne Cook / Associated Press:

EU official criticizes Trump over attitude toward allies — BRUSSELS (AP) — A senior European Union official lashed out Tuesday at President Donald Trump, lambasting the U.S. leader for his constant criticism of European allies and urging him to remember who is friends are when he meets Russian President Vladimir Putin next week.

Discussion: MSNBC, New York Times, NBC News and Political Wire

Michael Birnbaum / Washington Post:
'Dear America, appreciate your allies. After all, you don't have that many,' E.U. leader warns Trump

Discussion: Washington Times

NBC News:

Secret tape recordings rock Georgia governor race — Georgia GOP gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle can be heard saying the Republican primary had devolved into “who could be the craziest.” — ATLANTA — Another secret recording is shaking up Georgia's Republican primary runoff in the governor's race.

Discussion: MSNBC and Political Wire

Meagan Flynn / Washington Post:

In honor of Trump visit, Brits launch campaign to lift ‘American Idiot’ to top of the charts — President Trump loved seeing “American Idiot,” the Green Day Broadway musical, on its opening night in 2010, calling it “an amazing theatrical experience!” on Twitter.

Discussion: CNN, NewsBusters, DCist, Consequence of Sound, Mediaite, Washington Free Beacon, The Daily Caller and Daily Wire

Associated Press:

All 12 boys, coach rescued from flooded Thai cave — MAE SAI, Thailand (AP) — All 12 boys and their soccer coach have been rescued from a flooded cave in northern Thailand, the Thai navy SEALs said Tuesday, ending an 18-day ordeal that riveted people around the world.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, The Last Refuge and CNBC

CNN:
Thai cave rescue: All 12 boys, soccer coach freed from cave

Discussion: National Review, New York Times, Fox News, The Atlantic, The Daily Caller, WTKR-TV, KTLA, fox8.com, FOX 61, CBS Baltimore, 105.9 FM and AM 630 and Gizmodo

Madeleine Thompson / CNN:

Another former OSU wrestler says Jim Jordan knew about alleged abuse — (CNN)A fifth former OSU wrestler has told CNN that Jim Jordan knew about the actions of Dr. Richard Strauss, the former Ohio State University medical doctor who treated athletes, and called Jordan, who is now a US Congressman …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Political Wire, Raw Story and AMERICAblog NewsAMERICAblog …

Charles C. W. Cooke / National Review:

NBC's Capitol Hill Reporter Demonstrates Why So Many Dislike the Press — Every time I criticize the mainstream press, I am treated to a saccharine lecture on how wrong I am to cast aspersions about America's most valuable profession. “You don't understand,” I am informed.

Discussion: twitchy.com and Shakesville

Courier-Journal:

Hecklers spoil another Mitch McConnell meal by blaring ‘Fight The Power’ — Provided by Ben Norton, Louisville Courier Journal — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell may need to start ordering takeout in Louisville. — The Kentucky Republican abruptly left Sarino …

Discussion: Eater and Talking Points Memo

Washington Post:

Anatomy of a Trump rally: 76 percent of claims are false, misleading or lacking evidence — We're doing something new today: Analyzing every factual claim from President Trump's campaign rally in Montana on July 5. — According to The Fact Checker's database, the president had made 3,251 false …

Discussion: Washington Monthly

Maxwell Tani / The Daily Beast:

Business Insider Pulls Conservative Column About Scarlett Johansson Playing Trans Man … Business Insider removed a post about portrayals of trans individuals in Hollywood after staff complained internally about the column, saying the article did not meet the publication's standards.

Discussion: CNNMoney, more at Mediagazer »

Deanna Paul / Washington Post:

Woman beats a 91-year-old Mexican man with a brick, tells him to ‘go back to your country’ — The Los Angeles Fourth of July fireworks display was just beginning when Erik Mendoza realized his 91-year-old grandfather was missing. Thinking he might have gone for his daily walk …